1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an abrading machine for abrading an elongated workpiece such as a bandsaw blade, and more particularly to an abrading machine which can be used to abrade smoothly, for example, a welded seam of a bandsaw blade, ends of which have been butt welded into an endless shape by a welder such as a flash butt welder.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is necessary to abrade, for instance, welded seams of bandsaw blades into smooth surfaces since bandsaw blades are butt welded at their ends into endless shapes or loops by the use of a welder such as a flash butt welder. Heretofore, it has been customary that a welded seam of a bandsaw blade is abraded by hand by the use of a grinding wheel in a manner such that one side of the bandsaw blade is first abraded by the upper side of the grinding wheel and then the other side thereof is abraded by the lower side of the grinding wheel. Accordingly, it has been troublesome and time-consuming to abrade bandsaw blades and also it has been difficult to abrade both sides of a bandsaw blade evenly into a smooth finish since the upper and lower sides of the bandsaw blade are not presented from the same angle during abrasion. Also, it has been very inconvenient that the finishes of abraded bandsaw blades vary according to the skill of those who perform these jobs with the result that bandsaw blades are uneven and differ in cutting performance. For example, there has been a tendency for some bandsaw blades to be excessively pressed onto the grinding wheel and thus to have concavities are formed at their welded seams, which are subject to stress concentration. Furthermore, it has been disadvantageous that bandsaw blades have a tendency to be unevenly or concavely abraded by the grinding wheel which has a peripheral grinding surface being small in radius of curvature.